


Everything Falls For You

by palmofmyfreezinghand



Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Wedding, basically marshmallow, proposal, ranvanni, soft, the proposal fic we need and deserve ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:22:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28759512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palmofmyfreezinghand/pseuds/palmofmyfreezinghand
Summary: AU in which it's the winter of 2022, two years since they met on Strictly Come Dancing, and Giovanni has an important question for Ranvir. She's now a host of her own TV show; he has since won the glitterball. But really, their favourite prize is still each other.Or: the proposal, wedding and honeymoon fic we all deserve.Work Title & all chapters are from Seaforth's song, Everything Falls For You.
Relationships: Giovanni Pernice/Ranvir Singh
Comments: 51
Kudos: 38





	1. What's It Like To Watch The Sky Throw Stars Down (For You and Nobody Else?)

Giovanni ran a hand agitatedly through his hair as his thumb hovered over the send button. He almost rolled his eyes at himself; what on earth was he doing? Feeling nervous of sending a text to his own _girlfriend_? _Partner_ , he mentally corrected himself. Ranvir had become fond of the term back when they were trying to keep their blossoming romance under wraps during Strictly - they could refer to each other as partner, reassured by the fact that most people would interpret it as meaning dance partner.

If Ranvir were here, rather than currently filming for her talk show, she would certainly laugh at him. After two years together, Giovanni knew her well enough to imagine her laughing it off, but also somehow surprised that she had such an effect on him. _But you're you, and I'm just me_ , she always said. As though she wasn't brilliantly intelligent, incredibly genuine, fascinating company, utterly gorgeous, and probably the most popular TV presenter to boot, all wrapped up in one of her figure hugging jumpsuits.

Giovanni stared at the text on his screen again, checking for any possible interpretation that might give him away. _Date night this evening darling? x_ The words stared back at him. He felt almost as nervous as the night over two years ago that he'd told her in their dressing room after the Viennese Waltz that he knew, despite all complications, the way he felt about her was never going to lessen or disappear.

And really, he thought to himself, he wasn't exactly overreacting. Tomorrow was their two year anniversary of officially being together, and just as when he had been so sure back then that she was the woman he wanted to be with, he was now sure that she was the woman he wanted to be with forever. There was a small velvet box wedged in the back of one of his drawers to prove it. Ranvir was one of the least materialistic people he'd ever met, relentless in her selflessness, as a mother, partner, daughter, friend, but he knew she'd appreciate the ring. Even Gorka, Aljaz and Kai, who had all complained incessantly about being forced to go ring shopping in the first place, had been speechless when they saw it. The ring itself was a gold band, as he knew Ranvir wasn't a big fan of either white gold or platinum. Rather than opting for a traditional diamond, he'd chosen a ruby - Ranvir's birthstone - set with small diamonds around it. He'd bought the ring two months ago, and spent the time since then agonising over when to ask her.

 _What if she said no?_ Giovanni frowned as he rubbed his finger along his jaw. He didn't like that thought. Plausible, though. _It wasn't as though her last marriage ended the way she wanted it to, or had deserved. Once bitten, twice shy, and all that_. He blinked harshly, forcing himself out of that mindset. Everything was set - he couldn't back out now. Exhaling, he pressed send on the message. She'd be wrapping things up with her final guest now, probably still pinching herself that she had her own show, even though she'd been such a brilliant presenter for years.

A noise came from the other room, suggesting that Tushaan had finished the holiday homework Ranvir had tried to get him to do over most of the Christmas break. Giovanni smiled, remembering that he had one more thing to do.

"Hey, buddy" Giovanni popped his head around Tushaan's bedroom door. He smiled at the ten year old, briefly so filled with love and gratitude that he'd been able to watch Ranvir's son grow. He and Tushaan had gotten along instantly, first joking over FaceTime, and then having dinner together, playing games on the Playstation, and then Tushaan very patiently letting Giovanni teach him the Charleston.

"Hey Gio!" Tushaan smiled, stuffing some pyjamas into his backpack. He was going to stay with his Dad for a few days, and would be collected soon.

"Can I come in for a minute? I just wanted to ask you about something."

Tushaan's brown eyes widened, and God, he just looked the image of his Mum. "Sure, Gio. I'm not in trouble, am I?"

Giovanni laughed, settling on the edge of Tushaan's duvet. "No, no, nothing like that." He shot him a cheeky smile. "Why, what have you done?"

Tushaan turned pink. "Nothing! I swear." And then, "Oh no. You're not here for the talk are you, G, because we do that in Biology."

Giovanni put his head in his hands, shaking with laughter. "You're far too young for that, little man! But you tell me if they're teaching you wrong in Biology, okay?"

Tushaan swatted him away. "I _so_ don't want to talk about it! What did you want to ask me?"

Giovanni felt himself flush again, looking down at his hands and playing with the ring on his little finger. "Basically, little man, I'm so grateful and happy that you've welcomed me into your family the way that you have. And you know I love you. And you know I love your Mum." He exhaled as Tushaan nodded. "And, the thing is," he continued, turning to look at Tushaan, "I _really_ love your Mum. But the thing is, you are her absolute world. She couldn't love you more, and so I really want to make sure you're okay with this. I want to ask your Mum to marry me, but only if you're okay with it."

Tushaan smiled widely, his eyes full of emotion. "Yes please! You make my Mum feel like a princess, and she never has before. I'd love her to feel that way forever."

Giovanni felt tears prick his eyes, pressing a kiss to Tushaan's head. "Your Mum _is_ a princess." The sound of a car alerted them to the fact that Tushaan's Dad had arrived. "Hey" Giovanni said, watching as Tushaan grabbed his backpack. "Have a great time - and keep this between us when she calls you, okay?"

Tushann nodded. "Good luck, Gio! I'm sure Mum will say yes. She loves you very much."

And with that, he scampered off, leaving Giovanni with his own thoughts about the evening ahead.


	2. Baby, It's Dominoes Everywhere You Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giovanni proposes to Ranvir. 
> 
> Also: as realistic as I'm trying to keep this, I did flip timelines so that Giovanni was partnered with Faye after Giovanni and won the glitterball with her (because they were robbed and I adore her.)

"Mate, I just don't think I can do it." 

Okay, so perhaps Giovanni hadn't been _entirely_ capable of being left alone with his nerves. He had half an hour, maximum, until Ranvir was due back from work, and honestly he had no idea how he was going to keep up any pretence of normality for the rest of the afternoon. Usually he'd be planning choreography for his run of shows, or thinking about an idea for some new masterclasses. Winning Strictly with Faye last year had been incredible; she was an amazing dancer and had certainly put him through his paces in terms of choreography. It had certainly boosted his profile in the dancing world - his shows were almost always sold out. 

Today, though, was definitely not about dancing - in fact, Giovanni's mind couldn't be further from it. 

"Nonsense! Of course you can. You are _Giovanni Pernice._ When have you ever turned down a challenge or an opportunity because of fear? _Nato per vincere,_ remember?" 

Giovanni rubbed his eyes, looking at where Aljaz was smiling encouragingly into the phone screen. "Born to win, _si._ Not..." he gestured wildly "Born to propose." 

Aljaz laughed. "Trust me, brother. I know it feels like the biggest deal in the world when you're going to do it. You keep thinking...what if she's lying? What if she doesn't mean it when she says she loves me? Is it really too good to be true?" 

Giovanni grimaced as all the questions that had kept him awake for the past couple of months were reflected back to him over Facetime. Maybe he should have just called Gorka instead, and listened to him and Gemma argue over who had eaten the last bagel. 

"But then" Aljaz leaned forward, emotion evident in his expression. "Then you gather your courage, you get on one knee and - and she says _yes._ And it's just you and her. You feel like saying, _sorry? Can you repeat that?_ But she's nodding and you're both crying and you take her in your arms - and then it's something bigger than both of you, bigger than _love_ even. It's forever. And come on, G, you don't want to miss out on that, do you?" 

Giovanni felt his eyes sting with tears and a hard lump formed in his throat. "No," he murmured, his voice hoarse. "I never want to miss out on that. I always said to you, back when it had all ended with Georgia, I want to have what you and Janette have. And now I do. It's just -" he looked away, overcome with emotion. "She's _everything,_ mate. I don't want to mess it up." 

Aljaz looked softly back at him. "And you _won't."_ He clapped his hands. "Right, run me through proceedings again. Food and wine sorted? Cooking rather than delivery?" 

Giovanni nodded. "I've had a few run-throughs. Seafood tagliatelle, and a good white to match." 

"Were the rose petals delivered okay?" 

Giovanni nodded again, running his hand through his hair. "Didn't know where to keep them. They're in the boot of my car - she won't look there." 

The sound of keys rattling in the door sent a wave of panic through Giovanni's body. " _Shit"_ he hissed into his phone. "She's home - I'll have to go." 

"Good luck brother! Update me on everything when you can." 

And with that, the phone went dead. Giovanni sighed and glanced in the mirror, praying that his face didn't give away how stressed he felt. He would have to be very careful with his body language, seeing as Ranvir was whip smart and could read him like a book at the best of times. 

"Giovanni? You home?" 

He grabbed some papers to make it look as though he'd been working through tour logistics, and went downstairs to meet Ranvir. When he saw her, he bit his lip and instinctively knew that the fear was worth it. She was wearing a black silk jumpsuit that framed her figure perfectly, cinched at the waist. He moved over and kissed her on the lips, hoping his hand wasn't shaking as he held her cheek. 

"Hi, darling. How was everything today?" It was more than just a diversion tactic; he genuinely loved hearing about her job. 

"Amazing, actually." Ranvir exhaled as she dropped her car keys on the table and opened a folder, flicking through pages. "We had that _Love Island_ doctor on, Alex George, talking about the importance of mental health in schools. He lost his brother and everything, and he's channelled it in such a positive way." She ran her hand through her hair as she continued to read, underlining words as she went. "It makes me happy that children are at least getting _some_ good role models." 

Giovanni smiled. Ranvir was always so positive about others and able to focus in on their good qualities. It was one of the many things he adored about her. 

"Anyway, I got your text," she continued, cutting into his thoughts. "Date night sounds totally perfect, especially after this nightmare of a week. Where are we going?"

It wasn't a totally unanticipated question, but Giovanni still nearly swallowed his tongue. "Uh - we - I thought we would stay at home, actually" he stammered, trying not to meet her gaze and perfectly arched eyebrow. His brain scrambled to remember the reasoning he'd put together. "I have a new variation of a recipe that Aldo Zilli taught me, and I wanted to try it tonight. But it's a total surprise, so you can't even come in the kitchen and interrupt the preparations, okay?" 

If Ranvir didn't believe him, she at least had the decency to look as though she did. "That suits me better, actually. I'm going to call Tushaan - did his Dad pick him up okay? I need to check he didn't forget anything. And I will take Schmizzles out for a walk - it won't be as exciting as when you go running with him. So don't worry, I won't interrupt your _preparation._ " 

"Thank you, darling. It will be worth it, I promise." He'd aimed for cheeky, but instead just sounded pleading. 

"Anyway" Ranvir laughed, "It'd be a nightmare going too far, it's snowing now." 

Giovanni resisted smiling. He always thought that a proposal in the snow sounded much more romantic than one on a beach. "Agreed - see, I think of everything." As he said it, he remembered he'd forgotten another part of his story. "And-uh" his hand found a spot on the back of his neck and rested there nervously "I thought that we might take some pictures, you know, because family and friends and fans think that I am not a good cook. Which I _am._ So - well, you always look beautiful my darling, but I thought we might dress up." He willed the flush not to spread up to his face as he looked at her. 

Ranvir cocked her head to one side, and for a terrifying moment he thought that she might be onto him. Instead she said slowly "Okay. What time do I need to be ready for?" 

He almost cried in relief. "Is 7 okay?" 

\---

The past few hours had been the quickest and yet most stressful of his life so far. Fuck competing to be Italian Latin Champion, being in the dreaded dance-off on Strictly or even waiting to find out if he'd won the Pro Challenge, _this_ had been terrifying. He'd called Aldo in a state because he couldn't remember how much white wine to put in the recipe, then he'd panic-dialled Kai to see if his hair looked okay gelled back, or if he should have just left his fringe where it was. And Schmizzles had almost gone crazy on the veranda when Giovanni had been emptying out the rose petals. The one upside was that Ranvir had left him to his own devices, so his story must have worked. 

Now it was 7PM, the table was laid inside, the wine poured, the food ready. A trail of rose petals moved from the kitchen outside, where Giovanni stood in his three-piece suit, almost choking from his cravat and his nerves. And to top it off, it was absolutely _freezing_ outside. He could feel his phone buzzing in his pocket, presumably from texts wishing him luck or asking how it was going - really, his friends had impeccable timing. He willed himself to focus on Aljaz's words on Facetime earlier: _But she's nodding and you're both crying and you take her in your arms - and then it's something bigger than both of you, bigger than love even. It's forever. It's forever._

Movement from within the house alerted Giovanni to the fact that his forever was on her way downstairs. 

"Giovanni?" 

" _Alexa"_ he whispered, hoping the damn thing would pick up his instructions, "Play _Un Giorno Per Noi."_

"I'm outside, darling" he responded, knowing his voice was shaking but in too deep to care. "Follow the rose petals." 

He heard her laugh before he saw her. "Oh, very romantic." 

And then he saw her. 

And Giovanni had _seen_ movies. He'd seen paintings and beautiful women. He thought he'd been in love, he had definitely been infatuated, definitely stopped in the middle of the street to admire a woman's beauty. He'd stayed up at night thinking about women, he'd danced close to them, he'd been upset over them. But nothing - absolutely _nothing,_ prepared him for the dreamlike quality of the woman walking towards him at that very moment. She'd curled her hair with most of it pinned up, a few soft tendrils framing her face. Her dress was dark red, to the floor and with a modest neckline that was still low enough to be delicious. She smiled at him, her lipstick the same shade as her dress. 

"I - _wow."_

She laughed. "Anything for Instagram, right?" 

He nodded on autopilot, barely able to register anything that wasn't her right now. "Dance with me, darling?" 

Ranvir moved towards him, taking his hands and arching into the ballroom frame that had made him so proud during Strictly. "Am I still good at this, boss?" 

Giovanni smiled, rubbing his nose against hers. "Absolutely perfect." 

He pulled back and looked into her eyes, met with such warmth and trust that he knew it was now - or never. 

"Darling," he began, still swaying to the music. "When I met you, I thought I knew a lot of things about myself. I thought I was this confident dancer, who was technically amazing at his job. I thought that I existed to be looked at. I know people have often said how attracted they are to me, but it just left me feeling empty rather than complimented. And then I met you. You called me out. You taught me that there is a way to teach dance without pushing too hard. You made me realise that dancing ballroom with someone you connect with is the most beautiful thing in the world. And - you made me feel like I could talk, really talk, about how I feel without feeling like you were judging me. People always praise how much your confidence grew when we were getting to know each other on Strictly, but really, you put me back together again too. And now, I get to be with you every day. I can't express" she let go of his hand to wipe a tear away, and he wanted to hold her close, but knew that there would be time for that later. 

"I can't express how much I am in love with you. With how beautiful you are, and how you take my breath away when I wake up next to you every morning. How you work so hard, know so much, have taught me more than I can even remember. How you are such a wonderful Mum to Tushaan, how he just adores the ground you walk on. That you can be stressed and tired but still dance in the kitchen with me. That you're my best friend." 

Shaking, Giovanni reached inside his pocket and felt his hands close around the velvet box as he dropped to one knee. _Come on, Gio, you're a dancer,_ he thought to himself. _You should be able to keep your balance here._ "Ranvir Singh, all that you are is all that I wanted. My whole life. Back when I was young in Sicily and wanted to be close to women. I really just wanted to be with one woman, whose touch and love and presence would be my whole world. And because of that, darling, I want to spend my whole life with you. I would be crazy not to. Ranvir Singh, will you marry me? Will be be my forever?" 

He looked up at Ranvir, who had her hands both pressed to her mouth, tears running down her cheeks. This was a moment that Giovanni wanted to last forever. Life surely didn't get better than this. 

And then she nodded, slowly at first and then so quickly he thought her head might snap away from her neck. "Yes. Oh God, yes. Yes I will." 

He slipped the ring on her finger, watching her lift it to the sky to admire it, and got to his feet. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, closer than he'd ever remembered holding her. 

"Yes? Yes, you really mean it?" 

Ranvir moved her head off his shoulder. "Of course, my love. It was always going to be yes." 

She pressed her lips against his. 

It was forever.


	3. I Guess Your Gravity Got Me Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's summer 2023, and Giovanni and Ranvir get married in Italy. 
> 
> Fun fact: I know Gio is from Sicily, but when I visited Positano in Amalfi a couple of years ago, I fell totally in love with this amazing church on top of a cliff that overlooks the beach, so they're living my wedding dream in this fic, essentially. 
> 
> Also: Indian weddings are BEYOND gorgeous, but I couldn't possibly do them justice unless I had many chapters in which to do it.

Giovanni had dreamed of lots of things in his 32 years. He'd imagined so vividly, sitting cross legged in front of his parents' TV, that he could be just like one of the professionals on _Come Dancing;_ twirling a beautiful woman in his arms and maintaining the most extraordinary body fluidity as he pulled her close. He'd dreamt of being a good teacher, particularly when he attended advanced classes as a teenager, the ones that made his feet hurt and muscles ache for days on end afterwards, but always inspired him. He'd dreamt of being a champion in his sport, both nationally and worldwide. He'd wanted to make his parents proud, to be with beautiful women, to succeed and continue to dance, the thing he loved above all. 

And yet - amongst all of the things he'd dreamed of and gone on to achieve, one dream had lodged in the recesses of his brain, one he'd turned over in his head after every break up. He wanted to find the woman who made him feel like the world looked less colourful when they were together, one who understood him and who he could be vulnerable and honest around. A woman who could sit around the table with his parents and sister, who he wanted to tell the parts of his life to that didn't involve the well-worn trope of Sicily to Bologna to London, who would roll her eyes at the image of leather jacket-wearing playboy the media had pinned on him. Giovanni shuddered at the memory of the COVID-19 and lockdown, when he'd lived alone in a beautiful but isolating Battersea flat, the glass windows and spacious interior painful reminders of his loneliness and failed relationships. He'd had plenty of time then to reflect on the women he'd dated, all without doubt beautiful, all without doubt mesmerising. He'd felt the same unbridled electricity when he'd touched their skin, seen their smiles, he'd laughed and drank with and gone away with them all. Yet they simultaneously blended into one homogenous, slightly unsatisfying mass when he thought about them in retrospect - a clump of lipstick smiles, late nights and high heels in the corner of his room, relationships that had never gotten further than some clothes in each other's bottom drawer. By the time work on Strictly had started again that year, Giovanni had essentially given up hope of the dream he harboured of that long lasting relationship with someone that _really_ understood him. 

Then he'd turned from his position perched in the middle of Stonor Park, rolling his eyes at the endless cliche of the producers, and there she was. News broadcaster Ranvir Singh, bundled up in a sunflower yellow coat with a small dog and an impossible smile. It had certainly been instant attraction, but as the weeks went on, Giovanni had marvelled at this woman's _courage,_ she not only learned the dances in exactly the way he asked her to, but she had effectively turned herself inside out for him week after week in the training room. Despite all she had been through in the past, Ranvir had trusted him. It was the deepest emotional bond he'd ever known, and when she told him about her life during training, he'd often felt as though he was holding the most precious shards of glass in his hand. 

"Looking sharp, brother." 

A familiar voice pulled Giovanni out of his thoughts, as he looked in the top corner of the dusty mirror in the church bathroom to see Gorka leaning against the door, smiling with his arms folded. 

"Do you really think so?" Giovanni felt uncharacteristically self-conscious today, wearing a white morning suit with tails and a pale blue cravat with a matching pocket square. 

Gorka raised an eyebrow, coming to stand behind his friend as he put his hands on his shoulder and their eyes met in the mirror. "Really? Usually you tell _us_ you look good. I am surprised you argue."

Giovanni laughed. "I don't know, Gorks. Usually, yes. But I am - I'm _getting married._ I wanted this...always. I can't believe it, I can't believe I found Ranvir, I can't believe she said yes. I want to look my best." 

Gorka patted him on the back. "You look _gorgeous._ I bet Ranvir's on her way here right now, saying, _I can't believe I am marrying Giovanni from Strictly._ "

Giovanni swatted his friend away, laughing at his mocking tone. "Fuck _off,_ Gorks." 

"No, seriously" Gorka continued, a twinkle in his eye giving away that he wasn't done teasing his best friend just yet, "Have you checked Twitter today? It's a national day of mourning. Gorgeous Gio, off the market." 

"I think I was off the market as soon as I saw her, really. In my mind at least. I've never fallen for anyone so quickly and intensely -" Giovanni was about to stop himself, feeling emotion get the better of him before he'd even made it up the aisle, but he was cut off mid sentence with a Shirley Ballas impression so fantastic, it could only belong to his best man. 

"And for that, I applaud you!" Giovanni finally turned away from the sink to see Kai doubled over in hysterics at his own well-worn impression, joined by a smirking Aljaz. Giovanni made a mental note to acquire some more emotionally intelligent friends. 

"No seriously, how are you feeling?" Aljaz stepped forward, pulling Giovanni in for a hug. 

"Excited. Scared. Emotional. Overwhelmed." 

"What about _scintillated_?" Kai laughed. "Are you not just going through English words you learned for Strictly?" 

Giovanni dragged his eyes up from the floor, torn between being incredibly grateful for Kai's trying to calm his nerves and wanting to strangle him. "You're a dick. I need a new best man." 

"You're never nervous," Gorka pointed out, perhaps unhelpfully. "Is good. It means she means a lot to you. And that this day does too." 

"Still, thank God it's not a traditional Indian wedding, right?" Aljaz said. "I mean, they're so gorgeous and the best events _ever,_ but you'd have to be nervous through days and days of celebration." 

"I actually thought we should do something traditional for her and her family" Giovanni replied, fiddling with his cufflinks. "But obviously that's what she had the first time, and she understandably associates it with so many bad memories. She wanted something different. She wanted to get away, only have the people who are close to us, and I respect that. This day is all about her, really."

Aljaz smiled. "Gio, you're so ready for this. Falling in love with this woman - it's made you into the best version of the man you are." 

Kai nodded in agreement. "You absolutely deserve this day to be the most special ever, mate. We are all so proud to be here with you." 

The comfortable silence lasted just a few seconds before Janette burst in, wearing a gorgeous orange floral dress, holding hands with Giovanni's Mum. " _There_ you all are! Places in five, everybody!" 

Giovanni almost cried as his Mum came up to him, placing heavily braceleted hands on his cheeks. 

"Mamma!"

" _Bambino._ Oh, my bambino. I am _so_ proud of you. So very proud of you. Your Papa is too - he almost cried out there, and it hasn't even started yet." She jabbed a finger in his face. " _Don't_ tell him I told you." 

Giovanni laughed, misty eyed at the idea of his family being so emotional. "I won't." 

"Now," she continued, hands back against his cheeks, "Ranvir is so beautiful. Go and marry your beautiful wife." And with that, she gave him a kiss, followed by Janette pulling him into a hug and snapping at him that he needed to get to the aisle, _pronto._

Giovanni shook his head, pulling Gorka, Aljaz and Kai into a big hug. "Let's do this." 

He exhaled deeply, and made his way to the aisle. 

\---

Giovanni had been inside beautiful churches a lot as a child, before dancing had taken over his life, but he'd never felt the presence of anything bigger than himself, spiritually, until today. The sun was streaming in through large, stained glass windows, casting shadows and spots of light on the rows of pews. Ranvir had wanted a blue theme for the wedding, and definitely hadn't wanted to wear white - _they say have something blue, why not everything?_ And really, Giovanni thought, who was he to argue? Especially when dyed blue rose petals littered the ground, with blue flowers tucked at the side of the pews and the altar. He swore he'd never felt so nervous, and was suddenly grateful that Ranvir hadn't wanted many people at the wedding; the church felt empty enough that he didn't have to focus on any of his friends. Kai, Gorka and Aljaz stood beside him, with his parents and sister just to the left of his eyeline, seated at the front. Behind him were Janette, Luba, Gemma and Johannes. Giovanni didn't want to move his eyes from the spot where he knew Ranvir would soon appear, so he settled for imagining the expressions that Jamie, Karen, Dianne, Joe, Maisie and Graziano were wearing. 

The piano started, alerting Giovanni that Ranvir would soon be walking down that very aisle - the one he'd had his eye trained on for what felt like _hours._ He smiled as Ranvir's Mum, sister, niece, Kate and Susanna all walked down towards him, wearing long blue dresses and holding matching bouquets. They all looked absolutely beautiful - Giovanni hadn't considered it before, but maybe weddings brought out the best in everyone. 

Then he saw her, and every thought, let alone _word,_ caught in his throat. 

Her dress wasn't floor length - she hadn't wanted that, either - _it'll be too bloody hot, Gio._ It was the most stunning celeste blue, modest at the neck and grazing just below the knee. Her sleeves were made of a thin netted material, so he could see her beautiful skin beneath. She wore her hair pinned back, opting for minimal make up aside from eyeshadow and lip gloss; she gripped the flowers with one hand and threaded through Tushaan's arm with the other. Giovanni had honestly never felt quite so overwhelmed, seeing his little family - _his little family_ \- make their way up the aisle to him like that. He felt a hot tear run down his cheek and brushed it away, blinking vigorously to ward off any more that threatened to spill. 

_This was what you dreamed of,_ he felt like telling his younger self. This perfect angel of a woman, who had sought out his every vulnerability and matched it with her own, who had danced and laughed and cried with him, shared work stresses and media pressures and darkest secrets with him, who listened and made love to him, was going to be his. Forever. 

Ranvir reached him, her eyes watery, but smiling hard. She bent down and kissed Tushaan's cheek as he took his place with Gorka, Kai and Aljaz. 

"My beautiful princess has arrived," Giovanni whispered, running his hand down her cheek. 

They'd opted for their own vows as an extension of the traditional ones, as Ranvir had preferred the idea that they could say something sincere to each other, rather than prescribed. She spoke first, taking his hands in hers as their eyes met. 

"Giovanni - when I think about first meeting you in the rain that day, when you were a dancer I fancied off the telly, when I blurted out to you that I'd had a dream about you, I want to both laugh and cry. Laugh because really, I still _do_ dream about you. You're a gorgeous man, and I feel so lucky that every time I look at you, I have to catch my breath. But I could also cry, because I'd lose all faith in love, relationships, happiness" she gestured between the two of them "Marriage. I really thought that my lovely little boy was the only man I'd ever need. And then I met you. And you held me while I cried, smiled when I laughed, held my hand through everything. Christmas became even more special, Valentine's was suddenly exciting, I felt younger and happier and generally my best self. I've experienced so many things with you. You've got this unwavering strength, but this incredible vulnerability at the same time. I've never felt so safe, so accepted, so able to be my genuine self, around anyone. Tushaan gained a second Dad, and I gained a partner, a best friend, a lover, a confidante and today, a husband. I love you Giovanni Pernice, forever." 

And fuck composure, really, because that was just the most beautiful thing Giovanni had ever heard. He mustered up all his remaining strength, inhaled and rubbed his eyes. "Ranvir. My darling, beautiful Ranvir. I really believe that I met you at the right time, one hundred percent. I'd just had so many months of being unable to tour, to dance, or to see anyone really. It had made me think a lot about my past relationships and what I was looking for. I wanted, and needed, someone who would really understand me. Someone who I could communicate with using just body language, someone who I could share things with, and listen to as they shared things. I never imagined I could be with someone so beautiful, yes, but so strong, so brilliant, someone who would help me become who I needed to be as much as I helped them. You, my darling, made me believe in something bigger than relationships or love. You made me believe in fate, and soulmates. I have never felt luckier in my life than to be standing here marrying you today. I love you, Ranvir Singh." 

Giovanni had never expected to feel such a thrill while answering the famous question - or hearing Ranvir answer. Do you take this man - _I do._ Do you take this woman - _I do._

 _She did._ He did. Kai tearfully handed Giovanni the ring, just as Tushaan gave his to Ranvir. As they slipped the rings on each other's fingers, Giovanni forced himself to focus on the beautiful woman in front of him - _his wife._

 _You may now kiss the bride._ Oh, he didn't need to be told twice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all the love on this so far.


	4. Everything Falls For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After all the guests return home (including Tushaan with Ranvir's Mum), Giovanni and Ranvir honeymoon in Capri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter has been so delayed - a virus has not made this week the most fun. I have updated the content warnings just for this chapter...so enjoy! This is much less 'family friendly' than the others, so if that's not your thing - just read those and not this. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your lovely kudos, comments and even just reads of this. It's been a joy to write for you all. 
> 
> Up next: a potential favourite of mine - an enemies to lovers AU.

Even by Giovanni's admittedly high standards, the wedding had been nothing short of _perfect._ They'd rented out a large restaurant space which backed onto _Spiaggia Grande_ 's golden sands, and it was right there on the beach that he and Ranvir danced to _Say A Little Prayer For You._ Dancing together always brought a special kind of joy, but there was pure magic in knowing that the woman he held in his arms was now his _wife._ They dispensed with the traditional ballroom style, swaying in the late evening sun with the sea waves behind them. He had always believed he'd have a highly choreographed first wedding dance, perhaps even with lifts, but when Tushaan came running towards them on the sand and clasped both of their hands so that he could join them, Giovanni couldn't have been happier to be wrong. 

As sad as it had been when everyone left for the airport the next day, Giovanni had been secretly thrilled to be at the wheel of their hire car, driving with his wife (his _wife)_ along the gorgeous stretch of the Amalfi Coast, her hair tied back in a silk scarf as she lifted her face to the sun and marvelled at the sheer cliffs leading to a beautiful, seemingly endless azure sea. And now they found themselves in Capri, a place Giovanni had always secretly thought to be overrated when it was touted as glamorous - again, he was happy to be wrong. Or perhaps it was just Ranvir bringing the sparkle to everything, as she always did. 

"More wine, darling?" 

Giovanni snapped out of his thoughts, smiling even wider when he realised the present was just as wonderful as the memories he'd been turning over in his mind. 

"Sorry, baby" he apologised, as he saw a flicker of concern on Ranvir's face. He took the wine bottle from her and filled her glass, then his, with the crisp white. "I was just remembering our magical wedding." 

Ranvir smiled back at him, taking both of his hands in hers. "I'm so glad we didn't go fully traditional. Those things always feel so stuffy and formal. It really was an amazing day - I felt like a princess. Mind you" she added, kissing the knuckles of his left hand, "You always did make me feel like a princess. Right from when you whirled me around the floor wearing that blue dress in the Foxtrot." 

Giovanni assumed an expression of mock indignation. "What do you mean, _feel?_ I always tell you, you _are_ a beautiful princess. _My_ beautiful princess." He settled his hand on her bare thigh, where her blue sundress had risen up while seated. 

Ranvir laughed. "Oh, you old romantic. Although -" she paused to gesture around them, "You being so bloody soppy does work out in my favour, I suppose." 

Giovanni was proud of himself for what he'd managed to arrange. They'd opted for dinner served on the spacious balcony of their hotel room, so they could admire the views of the Sorrento peninsula while they ate. Okay - it had partly been for that reason. Giovanni may have wanted to have Ranvir all to himself, in a private space where no one could disturb them. But she was his wife, and she did look like _that,_ and he was only human. 

She was especially tempting tonight, he considered, taking her in over their now empty plates and half-full glasses. The setting sun caught half of her face so that her right cheek was bathed in an incandescent glow, along with her shoulder, collarbone, and half of her chest, which were all gloriously visible thanks to her dress. Giovanni took his hands back from hers, getting up and going to kneel by her chair. It reminded him of the move he'd sneakily choreographed in their Argentine Tango, when he had just wanted to be close to her, to touch her legs and be engulfed in her scent. She turned to face him, putting her wine glass down and looking down at him. 

"You're not proposing again, are you?" she laughed, her gentle tone softening the teasing. 

Giovanni drew circles on her thigh, too distracted by her body's sheer proximity to him to respond. He ran his hand along the inside of her thigh, and up, so slowly, under her dress, until he reached her chest. He found her heartbeat, allowing himself to be pleased at how quickly it was already beating for him. With Ranvir, he always felt the same thrill as the first time they'd first done this, even though it had been almost three years since then. He brought his hand back down, out of her dress, softly stroking between her thighs again as he did so, and enjoying how she bit her lip. Using the chair to steady himself, Giovanni crouched out of his kneeling position until his lips brushed against Ranvir's. He could feel her desperation to kiss him, to close the distance, but he resisted, wanting to tease her a moment longer. 

"I am proposing something," he whispered against her mouth, and _God_ his voice sounded hoarse. "I am proposing that I make love to you all night, for as long as we can handle it. Until I remember every touch, every taste, every _part_ of you, like it's the first time I did it." 

Ranvir flushed deeply, and Giovanni was delighted that he still had the same effect on her, even after all this time. He barely had a moment to register this thought, as Ranvir grabbed a fistful of his shirt collar, bringing their lips together firmly. _This_ was the joy of long-term relationships, Giovanni thought, the intrinsic knowledge you acquire of each other's bodies, the same knowledge that was allowing them to match each other, kiss for kiss. They stayed that way for a few minutes, kissing and moaning into each other's mouths, until he decided enough was enough. 

"Come on, princess," Giovanni held out his hand, getting to his feet with an amount of self-control he was pretty sure he didn't know he possessed. "Let's find out what the honeymoon is really all about, shall we?" 

Ranvir took his hand, barely disguising her disappointment that his lips had left hers. She raised an eyebrow in the direction of the noticeable bulge in his white jeans. "You seem up for it." 

Giovanni pulled her inside, closing the glass doors and drawing the material curtains in one move, before turning and pressing Ranvir against the wall, leaving open mouthed kisses against her collarbone. "I can stop if you want," he replied, breathlessly, moving his hand achingly slowly up his thigh while knowing he had no such intention. "Is that what you want?" 

He felt her legs shake against him. "You know that's the last thing I want." And with that, she gently bit his collarbone, replacing the bite with a soft lick that sent his eyes rolling back into his head. 

"Fuck, baby" he whispered, as he felt her hand cup him against his trousers. He responded by kissing her with urgency, sliding his hand into her underwear and smiling against her mouth as he realised how wet she was for him. 

"Don't be so smug," she hissed against his lips, undermining her point by rolling her hips as his fingers found her clit. 

"You should be smug too," he replied, fingers still massaging her as he placed her hand back on his erection. "Look at what you still do to me after all this time." 

Ranvir moaned into his mouth, reaching to unbuckle his belt and unzip him, leaving only the thin material of his underwear between her hand and his skin. She ran her finger over his tip, and Giovanni bit her lip so hard that he had to check he hadn't hurt her. They'd stayed apart for luck for a few nights before the wedding, and Tushaan had stayed with them on their actual wedding night, plus they'd been too exhausted to do anything. This had left Giovanni desperate for her, and he knew if they didn't slow down, it would be over much quicker than he wanted it to be for their first time as husband and wife. 

So he took a deep breath and placed his forehead against hers. "Princess, you get me like a horny teenager, I swear" he laughed. "I want to see you - _really_ see you." 

Ranvir looked confused. "I think you've seen me naked many times, Gio." 

"Never as my wife, though." He looked her in the eyes, checking for permission as he held the hem of her dress. When she nodded, her lifted it over her head as gently as he could manage, letting it float to the floor when he discarded it. And _God,_ this woman. When Giovanni had met her, he had never understood why she had insisted on being bundled up in big coats - although he respected that she found comfort in modesty; he wanted her to at least believe that under all the clothes she was undeniably sexy. He'd been so distracted by her that he hadn't noticed her unbuttoning his shirt, and moved his arms on autopilot to send that to the floor too. 

Giovanni let Ranvir take his hand and sit him on the bed, all thoughts of taking things slowly crumbling as quickly as his resolve when she straddled him, kissing his collarbone while making quick work of his belt. He took advantage of her moving away momentarily to unhook her bra, his lips finding her breasts and moaning against them as his mouth worked. His fingers found the top of her underwear again and he returned to rubbing against her clit, enjoying the string of moans and curse words escaping from her mouth. 

"You need to lose these," Ranvir half moaned, half insisted, tugging at his trousers, and really, who was Giovanni to argue? Although he didn't enjoy Ranvir having to get up off his lap for him to remove them, he could definitely see the longer-term benefit. He pulled his underwear off too for good measure, and Ranvir's eyes turned darker than he'd seen them all evening. Now fully naked herself, she dropped to her knees in front of him. She was such a vision that Giovanni willed the image to be imprinted in his memory forever. 

Any memory or thought whatsoever was replaced by pure white heat as she licked a stripe up the length of him, to the very tip, circling her tongue around him and driving him crazy. 

"Want to ride you. Now" Ranvir murmured against him, and honestly Giovanni would have probably agreed to sell a vital organ at that moment, she had him so much in the palm of her hand. 

"Fuck, yes, baby. Now sounds good." 

Ranvir wasted no time in returning to her straddling position, Giovanni's hands on her hips as he eased her onto him. 

"Does this feel okay, baby?" he asked, pulling her down so their faces met. He pressed kisses to her forehead and lips as he felt her settle to the feeling of him filling her. 

Ranvir nodded, beads of sweat visible against her forehead. "Need you. So much." 

Giovanni growled in response, shifting his hips so he could better angle himself inside her, and guiding her so she could move up and down. She'd always had amazing hip movements - how could he forget all the _interesting_ dreams he'd had after the Cha Cha Cha rehearsals? But the way she was making him feel right now was something else. He kissed her hard as her movements became faster and more urgent, using one hand to massage her breast and the other found its way back to her clit, rubbing in small, quick circles. 

Ranvir moaned above him, a true vision of beauty with her hair slicked back, her eyes closed, her mouth parted as her whole body moved against his.

"Fuck, Gio" she panted, sounding so indecent it was _heavenly,_ "I'm not going to last much longer." 

"Don't" Giovanni replied, aware he sounded almost breathless. "Want to see you come for me, baby. Want to _hear_ you." He applied more pressure to her clit in rhythm with her movements, until Ranvir came undone, leaning her head on his collarbone and moaning loudly as she came. Feeling her convulse in pleasure was too much for Giovanni, especially after days without it, and he quickened his thrusts until he was coming inside her, kissing her neck as he moaned her name. 

It took both of them a while to recover from the intensity, to calm themselves down and clean themselves up. It was not until they were still naked, in bed together, wrapped in a thin white cotton sheet, that Giovanni could find words again. 

"Ranvir, I love you so much. More than I can physically imagine, every single day," he began, interlocking their left hands so their wedding bands were pressed together. "Thank you for being my wife." 

She smiled at him. "Thank _you_ for being my husband." She paused, a mischievous look appearing on her face that Giovanni knew well. 

"You may now kiss the bride," she giggled. 

Giovanni looked over at her for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Then he let go of her hand, arranging them so he was on top of her and their noses were pressed together. 

"Oh, I _will._ "

**Author's Note:**

> As ever, this is all fictional and not affiliated with the real Ranvir Singh and Giovanni Pernice. 
> 
> I'm thinking this will be four chapters, so please let me know if there's anything you'd really like me to include in the comments, you lovely lot.


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